Weather in Jos, Kano scares residents, keep indoors

Many residents of Kano and Jos have remained indoors following severe cold weather occasioned by the harmattan.

The sudden change in the weather condition also forced a lot of the residents to wear warm clothes in order to protect themselves from the chilly weather.

The chilly weather had also forced many families to resort to using charcoal and firewood to warm their bodies as the weather became colder.

Kano in the early morning hours of yesterday recorded the coldest temperature thereby forcing commercial tricycle operators to suspend operation as most of the streets in the ancient city had been deserted.

A resident of the city, Malam Bello Sani, said he had not been able to come out in the morning as he used to due to the sudden cold weather in the city.

According to him, Kano metropolis recorded a low temperature of 7°C on Wednesday night which is colder than London at 9°C on the same night.

“I have to go and buy charcoal at Sabon Gari market with which to use with my family to warm our bodies as the intensity of the weather is increasing,” he said.

Another resident, Alhaji Bashir Muhammad, said he was unable to ride his motorcycle due to the chilly weather condition.

“We are lucky schools have closed for Xmas and New Year break otherwise it would have been very difficult for parents who normally take their children to school in the morning,” he said.

Muhammad, however, expressed optimism that the cold would subside before the schools reopen within the next one week.

Similarly, residents of Jos are lamenting the prevailing biting cold that has befallen the city, saying the weather condition is disrupting their routine activities.

The temperature in the town has dropped to an average of 11 degrees Celsius in the evening, but rises to about 19 degrees in the afternoon.

Some of the residents complained that the cold weather had disrupted their routine activities as they spent longer hours indoors.

Mr John Emeka, a student, said it was difficult for him getting out of bed and preparing for his outings.

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“As you can see , I am wearing a sweater and a very thick jacket and also tying a scarf on my head , hand gloves and socks to keep myself warm, having stayed indoors for many hours, Emeka said.

Similarly, Mrs Annette Akpan, said she resorted to wearing “cold breakers” to shield herself from the adverse weather and advised fellow residents to do likewise so as not to break down.

Mrs Ngozi Peters, a trader at Terminus market, said the inclement weather had compelled her to open her shop late in the morning.

“This cold is too severe and that is why I stay indoors for many hours before setting out to the market; my health first before any other thing,” Peters said.

The cold weather had pushed prices of second hand sweaters and jackets with the materials selling for between N2000 and N2500, as against N500 and N600, respectively.

Musa Adamu, a dealer in second-hand sweaters, blamed the price increase on the high demand for the wears because of the cold.